The GW volleyball team stormed into Duquesne’s A.J. Palumbo Arena Friday night, overpowered the Dukes in every facet of the game and left with a three-game sweep and its seventh-straight Atlantic 10 win. But the second-place Colonials (15-4, 7-1 A-10) could not advance in the standings because first-place Temple (7-0 in A-10) defeated host Massachusetts 3-1 over the weekend. GW’s lone A-10 loss this season came at the hands of the visiting Owls, 3-2.
Friday night belonged to GW senior Julie Jahnke, who managed five block assists in the match, making her the school’s new block assist leader with 419. Jahnke and senior teammate Tracee Brown combined for 25 of the team’s 49 kills.
GW entered the match coming off a non-conference loss to Georgetown, but was able to focus and defeat the weaker A-10 team. The Colonials also knew a team like Duquesne (11-10, 2-6), which isn’t making a run at the conference title, has no problem trying to play the spoiler role.
These games (against weaker A-10 teams) are definitely real important when you’re in the hunt, senior captain Jill Levey said. And these teams want to ruin it.
The Colonials dominated the three games, 15-2, 15-2 and 15-8. GW set the tempo early in the first game by running out to an 11-0 lead before Duquesne could manage a point.
The Colonials committed only 10 errors on offense and, defensively, GW allowed Duquesne only 28 kills.
Next Saturday the Colonials host Fordham at the Smith Center. Following the Fordham contest, the Colonials will go on a four-match road trip, which will conclude with a showdown at Temple Oct. 31.